


literature lovers

by WelcomeToTheBadlands



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Awkward Ben Solo, Awkward Flirting, Depression, F/M, Fluff, If you need to cleanse your soul from twitter, Minor GingerRose, Nerdiness, Rey Needs A Hug, Rose Ships It, Writers, here you go, writer rey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:48:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22061308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WelcomeToTheBadlands/pseuds/WelcomeToTheBadlands
Summary: "I'll never wait for a personTo genuinely findSomething deep inside myselfSomething more than just the books on my shelf," - Literature Lovers by Jose Vanders--Ben Solo owns Solstice Books, a nice little indie bookstore in the middle of a big city. Rey Johnson is his favorite author. What happens when they run into each other at an annual book festival?
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 5
Kudos: 82





	literature lovers

“Delilah knew what it was like to be lonely, she should be used to it by now. This world was cruel and chaotic and cold, and she should just be okay with that. She wasn’t okay with that. She didn’t want to stay in this sterile room, she didn’t want to continue scavenging the ruins of her war-torn city. She longed for something. Someone. She longed for someone.” -- A Pile of Ash and Bone, By Rey Johnson

_

It was times like these that Ben appreciated the most. He had just opened the shop an hour ago, and even though it took about an hour after that before it to get busy, he had made sure that he had the least amount of work possible before when he came in in the morning. Now he got to sit down in one of the chairs next to the window, the natural light was perfect, and he could curl up with a book.

Ben Solo read a lot. He loved it. He read any and every book that he could get his hands on, no matter how good or bad that it was. There was one author that he came back to every time though.

Rey Johnson.

Ben had all of her books, and every time he read them there was just something about them that calmed him down. Even though a lot of her books were on the more morbid side of science fiction and fantasy, he loved them with all of his heart.

A Pile of Ash and Bone was the first book that she had ever published, and Ben had read the book at least ten times that he remembered. One time he got really wine drunk and woke up to the book on his face on the second to last page, so maybe more than that. When Ben read a book, he really went through it. Underline passages he liked, put sticky notes on his favorite pages, write little notes about how he was feeling, things like that. A Pile of Ash and Bone was no different from any other book that Ben would read.

He flipped the page and remembered the first note that he had put down. He’d made a note to look up if she had any other books and buy them off her website or in a bookstore (because Amazon is notorious for not skimping on authors compensation and robbing them of their dues). He had brought the other three books that she had published when they had come out, and he loved them even more than the first one that she had written.

“Whatcha’ reading boss?”

Rose Tico was one of two other employees in the store and was usually never early. “You’re early,” He said.

“Yeah,” She said, “had to get a ride from my sister because my car’s in the shop. Anyway, is it okay if I set my stuff down and then go get some breakfast from the café down the street? Since I’m early,”

“Go ahead,” He told her. He wanted more time to read anyway.

“Cool, thanks.” She put her bag down. “You want come coffee?”

“Iced vanilla,”

Ben was about to go into his back pocket to fish out some money when Rose said, “Dude, don’t worry about it. You pay me more than minimum wage, I’ll get it this time.”

“Okay, what do you want?” He set the book down.

“Johnson again? Really Ben.”

“If you want time off, you can have it as long as you give me two days’ notice. You know that.”

“Actually, this isn’t on one of my shifts. This is on one of yours, but just let me get you some coffee before I ask you.”

“Fine, go.” Rose came back with two iced vanilla coffees and a pastry for herself about ten minutes later.

“Here you go,”

“So what is this about something on my shift that you were going to ask me about?”

“Okay, well you know the um—book festival that always goes on this weekend that has a bunch of panels about writing and books and a bunch authors that are sci fi and fantasy.”

“Yes,”

“Well I had a ticket to go with my boyfriend this weekend and then I broke up with him, so I was wondering if you wanted to come with me because I know you like reading a lot. Plus, you know when the book festival is going on there’s like no one that comes over here and you never get out so—please?”

“You broke up with your boyfriend? Why are you here? You could’ve called in.”

“Ben, that really doesn’t matter. He was cheating and I don’t cry over cheaters, it was whatever. Anyway, you should really come with me, because like I said you never get out and I know that you like this kind of stuff. So please, please come with me.” Ben sipped at his coffee.

“When is it?”

“This Saturday.”

“Fine, I’ll go with you.”

__

Ben Solo was not the type of person who went to things that were crowded. A lot of people being in one space was something that set off his anxiety, but Rose was there, and considering that she knew when to push him to do things and when to back off, things were going well. He could relax. There were a lot of panels and so, so many books that Ben wanted to get his hands on.

Rose was practically babbling over how she met Rey’s literary agent, Poe Dameron, at one of these the year before and how he and his friend were so cute. “Oh, they have Rey’s books here.” Rose looked down at one of the tables and picked one up. “Do you have this one?” She held it up for Ben to see. The sleek white cover of Bitter Bones was staring back at him.

“Yes,”

“Okay, what about Made From Stars?”

“Yeah, I have that one too.”

“Poisoned Souls?”

“I have that one too,”

“Is there any use going through these to see which ones you don’t have?” Rose snorted.

“Nope,” Ben said, “I’ve read everything she’s ever written. I just hope that she releases a new book soon because there’s been a dry spot for good fantasy on the market recently.”

“Oh yeah?” Rose was looking behind him, but Ben wasn’t sure why. “What makes her fantasy so good compared to like—Brandon Sanderson—or maybe Neil Gaiman?”

“Well both of them are good but, Brandon Sanderson’s work is way too long for my taste and while I like Neil Gaiman’s plots I just don’t really connect to his characters?” He was back to glancing over the books, looking for something that would speak to him. He wasn’t finding anything that he was really interested in reading. “With Rey’s characters, they feel really real and I’m a sucker for redemption arcs, and just everything about her writing is just the best thing ever. I hope she’s working on something right now so I can read it.” Rose giggled and Ben felt someone tap him on the shoulder.

“I heard that she’s working on something right now,”

Ben wasn’t sure what just happened but when he turned around he was face to face with his favorite author and he had no idea how that happened because Rose hadn’t said anything about the fact that Rey Johnson would be here. She was also a lot prettier in person than she was in the about the author page in her books, but Ben had never really paid attention to that before. “But that’s kind of insider information,” She smirked at him and Ben still didn’t know what to say.

How did words work?

He wasn’t sure. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, unblinking. “Oh wow,” Rose said, “you must be Rey Johnson.” She shook Rey’s hand. “He’s a big fan, you should sign a book for him. Anyway, I’m going to go over there.” Rose was gone a minute later.

“Your girlfriend’s cute,”

“Oh, she’s not my girlfriend.”

“Oh?” Rey raised an eyebrow as she went over to pick a book up.

“Yeah, we’re just friends. Been friends since college.”

“Interesting,” He wasn’t sure why he told her any of that stuff, “so, Ben I couldn’t help but hear you give my ego a stroke or two before I butted in on your conversation. Thank you.”

“O-oh, it’s no problem.” He was blushing, and he still had no idea what words were? Was he really flubbing the conversation this badly? He ended up picking up one of her books again.

“You’re cute,” She said, “you gonna buy that?”

“Yeah,”

“Cool,” She said, “can I see that for a second?” With another second, Rey had her pen out and was writing something on the back of the book before closing it and giving it back to him.

“It was nice seeing you—”

“Ben.”

“Ben.” Rey cocked her head to the side. “Is this your first time coming to one of these things because I’m usually always at this book fest, but I’ve never seen you before?”

“Yeah, it’s my first time. I’m usually really busy with the store and never get around to coming?”

“Oh, well I’m glad that you came.” Her smile was astoundingly great and suddenly Ben had didn’t know what was happening. “Seriously,”

“Thank you,”

“No problem,” Her eyes looked hungry, like she was going to devour Ben whole. Ben wasn’t sure if he should be scared or extremely— “Bye.”

“Bye.”

With that, he watched her leave.


End file.
